2021, not being exciting for the cricket fans due to COVID-19 Pandemic made the cricket calendar steadily going forth. Out of the three formats many of them got re-scheduled, many canceled and others were left out without a result. However, the year 2021, or the so-called jam-packed one is full of thrills for cricket lovers as many important fixtures await them.
This sensational year progresses firstly with the Pakistan Super League (PSL) on Feb 20, 2021, which contributed a blast for cricket fever with mind-boggling action followed by the Indian Premier League (IPL) which was held on the 9th of April on the same year where several prominent players peddled in T20 international cricket.
A hectic schedule thus remains to wait for the players playing the T20 world cup and other matches of great significance hence they will all not be able to breathe easily throughout the year. Here let us now glance at:
The busiest cricketers in 2021-
1. Jason Holder – 62 Matches
The West Indies bowling-all rounder from Barbados, Jason Holder, tops the mentioned list by joining many incredible teams and keeping himself engaged with the games. A reliable batsman with a right-arm medium-fast pace and well experienced in all cricket formats has been regular in playing International T20 cricket league games.
An all-format series game against Sri Lanka occurred earlier this year and Jason was a part of it. Later on represented the Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL in India playing 8 matches with 85 runs scored, the highest being 47* with an average of almost 14.16 striking with 118.05.
Further, in the year, we have seen Jason Holder superposing the Barbados Tridents in the Caribbean Premier League 2021, but the most important focus for him is on the T20 World Cup, where he would perform his out-class innings in all the games and is determined to give his best. Holder has performed in a total of 62 games in the follow-up year.
2. Fabien Allen – 61 Matches
Once again another West Indies player, Fabien Allen didn’t get his time away from the field and so also is among the busiest cricketer in the year 2021. Although we didn’t expect him to be this busy his fans witnessed his exaggerated schedule. This batting all-rounder has played many important matches before with his outstanding match-winning performances scoring runs for whosoever he played.
This multi-task player then made his presence felt for other teams whether it be in leagues or other international games and so many franchises suggested Allen for his T20 skills. This year, the Caribbean solitaire has many contracts for playing with Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL, Peshwar Zalmi in PSL, and St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in CPL.
In his international projects for this year, Allen promoted himself in the two main T20I and ODI series against Sri Lanka. He was also a part of the West Indies squad for their immense home series. Shining brightly in those formats he later confirmed his place in the Caribbean team for the T20 World Cup. Fabien Allen played in a total of 60 games in 2021.
3. Kieron Pollard – 60 Matches
Kieron Adrian Pollard also belongs to the category of the Caribbean player with white-ball cricket expert and team captain, Pollard has been a regular face among many prominent players on the side. He also contributed a lot in the ODI and T20 series against Sri Lanka in March 2021.
Then in the IPL 2021 season, he joined one of the best teams Mumbai Indians who has won the trophy 5 times. Pollard played some handy knocks in the tournament before the suspension. This specialist of all cricketing formats first charged up for the Australia series earlier followed up by South Africa and in the end Pakistan.
Not the least in league season he has also represented the Caribbean Premier League along with Fabien Allen but representing Trinbago Knight Riders. Moving forward in his schedule for the year Kieron will captain the West Indies team in the T20 World cup to make sure they give their best. Counting this gentleman’s game he has played 60 matches in 2021.
4. Andre Russell – 60 Matches
Two-time world champion in T20 cricket, Andre Russell is one of the most famous T20 all-rounders until now, and so is his name mentioned in this list. Not only taking wickets for the West Indies squad but also blowing out runs with the bat helped in appointing him as a team captain.
Star cricketer Russell showed his valiant nature for Kolkata Knight Riders in this year’s Indian Premier League season with an average of 26.14 and a strike rate of 152.50, and then for the Quetta Gladiators in Pakistan Super League. He is also going to remain busy with the Jamaica Tallawahs.
Russell also had to play a series against Australia, South Africa, and Pakistan due to which his other International tests were canceled. He will make a total of 60 appearances this year if he plays in the Cricket world cup for West Indies. Mostly he has been seen playing T20 Internationals and not other tests.
5. Faf du Plessis – 56 Matches
Faf du Plessis, a professional South African captain who made his first ODI debut on 18 January 2011 announced his early retirement from Test cricket format on 17 February this year which means he hasn’t been a part of the South African team but still that didn’t lead to his freeness throughout the year as he had many other opportunities in variable formats and leagues which were awaiting him.
This star right-handed batsman before retiring from test cricket led his team in the home Test series which were against the Sri Lankans and Pakistani teams. Moving further in the schedule after a short period he joined the Chennai Super Kings, who 3 times championed in IPL and the latter half played for the PSL franchise for the Quetta Gladiators followed by Saint Lucia Kings or formerly termed as St. Lucia Zouks, a team of the CBL.
Du Plessis didn’t seem to play the normal games of cricket formats for the South African team but wished to hold great significance, remain high, and manifest himself in the T20 World Cup’s important fixtures schedule. Most probably he is encompassing a total of 56 matches in the year 2021.
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6. Rashid Khan – 55 Matches
Born on September 20, 1998, in Nangarhar, Rashid Khan a Legbreak Googly bowler and an exquisite spinner surpassing his figure across all the formats plays for Afghanistan National cricket team and is most famous in the T20 franchises which are pretty evident as he started off his year performing in the Big Bash League (BBL) for Adelaide Strikers but unfortunately, he had to leave that tournament equidistant due to National games.
Rashid then played the ODI series against Ireland before his Test and T20 series with Zimbabwe. In this summit clash, he played a vital and significant role not only with the ball taking but also with the lower order bat using his power strikes for his team.
Some of his other important fixtures scheduled being that Rashid continued to be a part of Lahore Qalandars in PSL, Guayana Amazon Warriors in CPL, and also Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL. This year’s T20 World Cup will also be critical for him to showcase his talent and overcome the sternest challenges coming to him. He is said to perform in 55 matches this year.
7. Imran Tahir – 37 Matches
Imran Tahir, the South African spin bowler although played his last season suspension international game long back in July 2019 against Australia, still ranks 7 in the list which shows he is also among the top most busiest cricketers in this year. Firstly, Tahir signed up with Melbourne Renegades in the famous Big Bash League (BBL) for the season 2020-21. Then he joined the Deccan Gladiators squad in the T10 league.
Following up his schedule, Tahir then along with Faf du Plessis represented the three-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the same called postponed IPL 2021. Even though he played just one game in the first half league tournament who knows how significant he turned out to be for that team. Strikingly, he is known to continue his yearly schedule with the Multan Sultans in the current Pakistan Super League 2021.
Just as the year passes on, equally as Rashid Khan he contributes to the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) alongside the Guyana Amazon Warriors representing them to his full potential. This 42-year-old player is found to have played all these games then he will be playing a total number of 37 matches in this year which is quite interesting.
8. Rohit Sharma – 33 Matches
Coming over next in the list is an Indian right-handed batsman, Rohit Sharma, potentially the first-class opener of all, his power and excellence can be known by the no. of matches performed by him. There is no point to say that Rohit Sharma will be on the ground when he is already fit and in season.
Because this talismanic cricketer and a heroic batsman didn’t be a source of strength to any injuries during this year, he became a participant in all of the games and prospered. He became one of India’s main batsmen in the home series in averse to England. He also played some match-winning shots in test matches in opposition to Australia, and not the very least also did quite a great job in leading the Mumbai Indians in the suspended IPL 2021.
Now, coming to his future tasks for the year he will be featured in the tests series against England in the ICC World Test Championship and later in the T20 World Cup. Ending the year 2021 by playing 33 matches Rohit Sharma remains on the list.
9. Rishabh Pant – 32 Matches
Born on October 04, 1997, in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, this young wicketkeeper-batsman playing for the Indian cricket team holds 9th place above Virat Kohli on this list, firstly he partook in the Border Gavaskar Trophy which was a Test cricket series played between India and Australia. Rishabh Pant, a talented youngster moreover continued to engage himself and showed his master skills in whatever format it may be.
After contributing the trophy to his team by collateral effort against Australia he took over the English men (England) in the home series playing all the games throughout the series except the first ODI against them. Further continuing his busy schedule in the IPL 2021, where he captained Delhi Capitals replacing Shreyas Iyer due to his absence.
Rishabh led the team markedly granting them 6 wins from 8 games. He also will be a part of the ICC World Test Championship final match followed by the same five Tests against England as the other Indian players mentioned in the list. Counting these all make up Pant ending up with 32 matches played within this year.
10. Virat Kohli – 31 Matches
In the end, comes the well-known Indian captain Virat Kohli’s upcoming assignments for the year. Yet another talismanic cricketer returned from the Border Gavaskar Trophy where due to his busy schedule he missed some of his matches but still managed to bring his name to the list. This superb cricketer then came back to the cricket ground during the home series with England.
England visited Indian grounds where Virat Kohli played all the matches. After this full-fledged home series, he led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL. Working over the ICC World Test Championship Final which was against New Zealand held from June 18-23 in 2021 the star batsman will captivate himself in it followed by a five-match test series against the English men.
Virat will so have to lead RCB in IPL 2021 taking place in the United Arab Emirates before holding on to the ICC T20 World cup International game. Joining all mentioned above and some other of them he will be playing 31 games this year and so he will have to give his best shot and put full effort into this.
